


Kill the clock inside your head

by anasnastias



Series: Love is blind [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Goth Gaara, Neighbors, Pierced Gaara, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Tattooed Gaara, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-01
Updated: 2017-04-12
Packaged: 2018-09-21 11:05:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9545696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anasnastias/pseuds/anasnastias
Summary: Their eyes always meet, no matter the circumstances.Soulmate/High School AU





	1. Green

**Author's Note:**

> Hellow and enjoy.

Ino isn't a stupid girl. It's just that she is very unlucky.

Every Sunday evening, her parents go out on a date.  
Sounds quite romantic, right?  
Right.

That's, of course, great and stuff, but not when the stupid fridge is empty and one Ino Yamanaka is super-hungry and has a mighty need for some home-made ramen.  
This is why she went out, in this ungodly hour, to buy groceries.

Since it was already pretty dark outside she didn't even think of putting on make-up or dressing up nicely - she was pretty sure that she would not meet anyone in this part of town.  
Besides, she figured it would be safer not to be pretty and just wear some sweatpants and an ugly orange cardigan that covered her Soulmark, because it is pretty embarrassing.

  
_Hi_

It literally just says _Hi_. Could this be any more generic? Her mark etched itself across the space between her breasts - a super ugly place for a super generic mark.

Ino isn't stupid, she is just very unlucky. Leaving the grocery store at half-past nine while holding a white plastic bag with the ingredients she needs, she doesn't even bother to walk faster.

It is getting colder the later it gets and Ino is relieved that she thought of wearing something warmer tonight.

Ino is surprised by how many people are still outside at this kind of hour. She can see a crowd of young people in front of some kind of bar. She recalls Sakura telling her about some kind of event in town; not that she cares either way.

Ino just has to walk past them.

And that is when she sees Sai.

 _Sai_ \- as in _ex_ -boyfriend _Sai_.

They separated on good terms, but she really _really_ does not want to be seen this way, especially since rumors said that Ino had a hard time with the breakup, when instead, she did not care _at all_.

But she still has an ounce of pride left, so she turns right into a dark alley. It's a shortcut, but perhaps not the safest route home.

She sighs internally and hugs her bag with groceries closer to her chest.

Damn her pride.

The alley is very badly lit, but she can see some guy's legs right next to a dumpster. He is muttering something and she takes a deep breath and pretends not to see him. Perhaps he won't do anything. Perhaps he is asleep.

But, as Ino herself knows, she is just very unlucky.

So the man suddenly grabs her by her hair and pulls her down with him. A scream finds its way out of Ino's throat as she lands painfully on her back, letting go of her bag of groceries. The man was clearly drunk, that much her mind has registered and she uses this to her advantage. He is still gripping her by her hair and left hand, but his movements are very slow. She struggles to get away from him, but he has an iron grip on her. The man seems to come to himself and crawls closer to her. His eyes are unfocused and for a very short moment she feels like he doesn't know what he is doing himself.

"No! Get away!" Ino grits out and tries to kick him with her leg. Panic makes her bold and stronger, but she absolutely does not have a plan and everything is just _so blurry_.

That's when she feels the man being pulled away from her and then a loud crash follows. She hears the man groan and then there is silence. Ino's breathing is ragged and she tries to focus on what was in front of her.

A man? She blinks.

Oh lord.

It is her neighbor Gaara.

Out of all the people who could have helped her, it is him? _Him_?

He is standing very still and just looking at her with those green eyes. Ino looks to the side instead, where the drunkard is lying next to a dumpster, totally out of it. Her damaged pride forces her to look back at Gaara, who is still staring at her without saying anything.

Awkward.

" **What the heck i couldhavehandleditmyself!** " she says angrily under her breath, picking up her groceries and fixing her hair.

Gaara narrowes his eyes for the shortest second that she ever experienced and then looks at her, as if he is seeing her for the very first time. He still hasn't said anything to her, which strucks her as odd. Of course she had heard what everybody had whispered in school: That he was weird, a creeper, the typical goth-boy, how his look gave people the creeps. Some students thought it to be funny to make a vote on who would be the first to start a shooting in their school;  
Gaara's name was the first to be said.

Ino wouldn't say that he was creepy, evil or weird, just... odd. _Different_ \- but not necessarily in a bad way. Ino tries to get up on her shaky legs - and falls back onto her butt.

"You've gotta be kidding me..." she mutters embarrassed. Something appears in front of her face then.

Gaara is holding out a hand to her. Ino looks at him, really looks at him. There is nothing evil or creepy in his eyes.  
Perhaps just some kind of curiosity that she cannot quite place. His gaze is very intense and she wonders, just for a second, if he is aware of that? If people had told him as much?

She takes his hand reluctantly and very slowly, as if he might pull it away.

And then their hands connect and a _shock_ floods her body.

Ino gasps and sees how Gaara's eyes widen just a friction, but it's enough for her to realize that he felt it, too.

Whatever _it_ was.

He pulls her up and she is glad that both of them did not let go of each other.

It's strange, how they have been neighbours for over 10 years now and they had never spoken to each other, until now.

Well, he still hasn't uttered a word, but she will be working on that in just a second.

Behind them a crowd of people is gathering, surely drawn in by the noise. One dude seems to be calling the police.

Gaara is the first to let go and Ino turns away. He does not follow her right away. It's better this way, she tells herself, even though she is still quite shaken after everything that has happened this night.

After a few steps she looks over her shoulder. 

"Aren't you coming?" She doesn't know what made her say it. Fear of the dark? Curiosity? Perhaps it is both. 

For a second, Gaara looks hopeful. She feels her eyes widen. 

This look of innocence - it was such a human thing to do. Her mouth is suddenly very dry. How has she never noticed that? The sparkle in his eyes, the way the corners of his mouth lift up slightly. She turns away suddenly and doesn't dare looking back.

The only thing she hears are his footsteps following her. 

His silence is very comforting, she realizes, and it is not awkward at all.  
  
When she is standing in front of her house, Ino looks back one more time and he nods, saying goodbye.  
  
Ino closes the door and watches through a nearby window how he waits a moment too long, until he walks home himself. 

  
Her heart is beating too fast.


	2. Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaara is bleeding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter. :)  
> Thank you very much for reading this!! <3

Ino is chewing on her pen when the bell starts ringing, signaling that school is over for today.

  
"Ino, hurry up or I'll be leaving without you." Sakura laughs, shaking a hand in front of her friend.

Ino has been out of it today, too engrossed in yesterday's incident.

Everything was hazy after being home, because his green eyes couldn't get out of her head. It's weird being this silent and thoughtful, so unlike herself.

  
"It's okay, you can go ahead." she calls after Sakura who waves one last time.

She had asked Ino throughout the day what was wrong, but Ino just did not have an answer yet.

Packing up her things and grabbing her bag, Ino leaves her already deserted classroom. Something significant happened yesterday, she knows that, but she doesn't know what _it_ means.

And that really pisses her off.

Ino hears cheering and yelling just around the corner and she sees a crowd (really? Again?) of students.

Sakura's pink hair is right there as well so Ino squeezes her lithe body through some students.

"Sorry, an emergency~" she singsongs and grabs Sakura by the hand, who is staring at the commotion in something akin to disgust.

Ino furrows her brows and follows her line of sight.

A fight.

Ukon and... and...  
Standing with his back turned to her, there is " _Gaara"_.

  
She is sure that she has thought his name and not uttered a single syllable and he still turns around suddenly and looks her straight in the eye, as if he knew all along where she would be standing and that she would be _right_ _there_.

There is red in his face, a sharp contrast to his green eyes and his pale skin. Something in her gut clenches and her heartbeat quickens again.

He is bleeding.

_Gaara_ is _bleeding_.

Her body is moving by itself, because she is pushing away the people standing in her way and stomping straight to Ukon.

His eye is swollen and his lip is bleeding.  
_Good_.  
He is confused for just a second, but that is enough for her, as she punches Ukon in the face.

But he is not bleeding from her punch and she is so _angry_ she feels like she is burning from inside out and she doesn't understand why but she knows that she wants to beat him to a bloody _pulp-_

Strong hands grab her from behind, holding her back.

A tingling sensation floods her body and she feels the anger ebbing away. Ino instantly knows that it's Gaara and she closes her eyes as Sakon and Tayuya pull Ukon away.

He is hugging her.

Gaara is hugging her, his blood dropping on her naked shoulder and she does not mind.

He lets go of her, too fast to her liking.

And that is when she realizes that everyone is staring at them.

" _Oh no. Sakura!"_  

Ino turns to her best friend who is watching her in mild horror.

But Sakura is smart and not judgemental. She will understand.

" _Later_." Ino mouthes at her and Sakura nods slowly. She is thankful for having her as a best friend. Not everyone would wait for an explanation, but Sakura does.

Relieved, she looks back at Gaara who is watching her. She gulps. The blood does not seem to flow anymore, but he should get cleaned up.

"Follow me." she huffs annoyed, pushing her way through the slowly dissolving crowd of students. How did he even get in this mess in the first place?

" _It's a miracle not a single teacher came by!_ "

His boot-clad feet are exceptionally loud in the hallway, but she doesn't mind. _Again_.  

Ino opens the door to the thankfully empty boys-restroom.

Without looking at him she grabs a pack of handkerchiefs out of her bag, and holds one of them under the faucet, getting it soaked with water.

She feels his gaze burning holes through her, as if to ask _why are you doing this?_

Honestly, she doesn't have a clue, which is why she has been avoiding his gaze until now. The blood is already drying and his lips are red, his chin and throat as well. His throat is nice. She gulps. Very nice. He isn't skinny at all. He is... _distracting_ , that's for sure.

Ino blinks and focuses on her "task". She starts to clean the blood off his face - slowly and carefully.

"Kami, you are such a moron." Ino finally says annoyed. His mouth opens slightly, only to be closed again. She furrows her brows and catches his eyes.

**Annoyance**.  
He has the _nerve_ to look annoyed with her. He with her. _With her_.

Ino jabs her finger in his chest.

"Uh-uh. Don't look at me like you could've handled it." He just grunts for an answer. 

"Yeah, sure, just like I could have handed it myself yesterday." she admits solemnly.

She looks back up at him - he is taller than her. Her gut clenches again.

_Oh_.

It's fondness.

Right there in his green eyes. Fondness, for _her_? She is momentarily speechless.

No one has ever looked at her like that.

There _it_ is again. How can they be so close without even knowing each other?  

"You could have really gotten hurt, you know?" He doesn't even flinch when she starts cleaning up his neck with another wet handkerchief. Many chains and necklaces hang loosely around his neck. Has she ever seen him without accessories? Not that she remembers.

Gaara suddenly stops her hand with his own and slowly pulls her hand away from his throat so he can take a better look at it. Her knuckles are grazed and her fingers kinda hurt, too. From the punch, maybe? She hadn't noticed until now.

"It doesn't really hurt." she answers the question he had not yet asked...verbally.

But his eyes had. Seriously, for someone who was rumoured to be emotionless, he sure has a lot of facial expressions to show her.  
How come she understand him without him saying anything. And _why_ doesn't he _say_ anything? This time he pulls a handkerchief from the package und looks at her, as if asking for permission.  
Ino remembers the blood dripping on her shoulder from when he had hugged her. 

He had hugged her.

A weird feeling is creeping up her neck and when she glances in the mirror she sees that her cheeks are tinted red. Oh, Kami.  
  
"Go ahead." she rasps.

Internally, she cringes embarassed. What is _wrong_ with her? Everything that they are doing right now is totally unnecessary! Completely! They could've just cleaned up at home! Why did she have the urge to do what she did? Kami, she even punched Ukon _in the face_. She didn't _do_ stuff like that.  
What was with that anger? Surely it must have been payback. That's it! Her subconscious was telling her that she ought to help him, like he had helped her the night before.

His finger grazed the skin on her shoulder and Ino couldn't suppress a shudder.

The tingling sensation, it was back.

Each time their skin touched, maybe? She should try it out. Just to see if it really was from skin to skin contact.

Without a warning she grasped him by his cheeks and surely, there it was again. But stronger than before.  
Gaara closes his eyes and she follows him.  
Gingerly, his hands touch her naked shoulders and her breath hitches. She brushes his cheekbones with her thumbs.  
Her voice is shaky and her legs weak.  
"Do you feel that?" It takes a lot of courage to ask that, because she fears that she is becoming insane! That has never happened before but it feels so **so** right, she can feel it deep in her bones. _This is right this is right_.

She feels him nodding his head. Relief floods her body. She is not insane.

  
"You can feel this, too." she whispers and smiles.

Because this is right, whatever _this_ is.


	3. Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His tongue is pierced.

They are driving back home again in his old car with Ino talking carefree about god, school and other miscellaneous stuff. It is already the fourth time and Ino is quite happy with the arrangement.

She had called Sakura as soon as she had been home on Monday, telling her exactly what had happened between Gaara and her. Ino was relieved to have talked to somebody about this topic, since it had her very confused. Sakura had no explanation, but she was a great listener and very understanding. "Just be careful." she had said. "You know how your parents are, regarding Soulmates and stuff like that." Sakura herself hasn't found her soulmate yet, but they were young, Sakura always said, they will find them! Ino doesn't really care about soulmates anymore. Or, well, she doesn't _want_ to care anyway. It's a topic she loathes to talk about, honestly.

"Can you imagine Rock Lee without his eyebrows?" she suddenly asks.

Ino should feel ridiculous speaking to him like that, without really knowing anything about him, without him _talking_. She looks at him the whole time, reading his eyes and seeing his facial expressions.

Ino likes the way his eyes shine in the sun, the way the corners of his lips turn up into a gentle smile. It is very hard to look away, but when she does, she sees his garage in front of them.

They are home.

Ino purses her lips and fiddles with the strap of her bag.

"I guess I'll be going then." she says and reluctantly opens the car door. Before she leaves, Gaara pulls her down by her hand, carefully as not to hurt her. He doesn't let go and Ino catches herself enjoying the touch. Gaara squeezes her hand once and lets go of it.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight." She gets out of the car and walks home. She really, really wants to turn around and see him off. Perhaps she should? No. _"Don't do it."  
_ Ino hears him opening his car door and turns around. Waving one last time, she hurries home and shuts the door behind her.

A big, stupid smile is nearly covering her face, until she hears her dad clearing his throat. Her smile vanishes almost instantly. Both her parents are standing next to a window in their living room, which means that they have seen _everything_.

"...I'm home..." she helpfully supplies.

"So... You have become friends? Gaara... and you?" her father begins.

"Yeah, you could say that." Her parents exchange a look, as if they are thinking the same thing. Which they probably do, being soulmates and all that...

"Ino." her father says. She instantly knows where he is going with that tone of voice. "You know how important it is for us that you do not date, unless you have found your soulmate." It was very common to meet your soulmate once you got your first period, as awkward as it may sound, but it was a fact - statistically speaking, of course.

Ino hadn't. Not yet, at least. She still had a sliver of hope, deep in her heart.

"Or is this again some kind of group pressure thing? Like that boy, Sai." her father asks.

"I can use my own head, thank you very much." Ino retorts. "Gaara is special to me. You don't get to tell me that I am not allowed to see him anymore!"

"Ino! Don't use that tone with your father, young girl!" her mother exclaims.

"You need to be careful, Ino! What if you fall in love? Or what if he falls in love with you? And then you meet your soulmate? Do you think that mending a broken heart is that easy? It's not!!"

Her lip quivers and without anything smart to say Ino runs up the stairs into her room, shutting the door loudly.

She is so sick of it. Of this soulmate crap. She can live her own life without an ugly mark dictating her every move. She is 17 and her own damn person. Angry tears threaten to spill from her eyes. Never has she been so disappointed in her parents! Just because they had been so lucky in finding the significant other, doesn't mean that she is going to be like them.

Sai and her had dated for a couple of months, nothing too serious, not going any further than kissing. There had been one time when they were making out in his car and Sai wanted to open her blouse, resulting in Ino slapping him. He didn't mean to hurt or embarrass her, but she had been so ashamed of her soulmark, that she just didn't want anyone to see. Not even him. They broke up very fast after that incident.   
Sai himself didn't have a soulmark, or so he had claimed.

Her parents had never met him.

 After a few more hours of lying on her bed and thinking and over-analysing way too much, she decides to change her clothes and just go to sleep. Her head is achy and her eyes burn. Ino hates crying with a passion. It makes her skin blotchy and ugly.

It is already dark outside and she can hear her father snoring loudly across the floor in their room.

Standing up from her bed, she pulls her shirt over her head and removes her tight jeans, only to catch a look of herself in her mirror. _Hi._ The forsaken, ugly mark.   
Ino recalls the conversation with her parents. Cold dread overcomes her.   
What should she do when Gaara meets his soulmate? Surely it cannot be stronger than the connection they both share? ...Right? She imagines him meeting another girl, calm and beautiful, just like him. With a weird music taste, too many facial expressions and an interest for history (don't ask her about where she's gotten this piece of information...). Ino knows that she can be witty, funny and calm. She knows that she is beautiful. But that won't be enough. She won't stand a chance against a soulmate. Imagining Gaara with another person? They barely know each other, but this thought... it hurts so _bad_ that she even wants to claw her heart out of her chest.   
They have a connection. Him and her. She knows that! That is not something one can ignore!

Tears are streaming down her face and her lips quiver again. Why does it hurt so much?

A thought crosses her mind. She should ask him about his mark. **Right now**! Without any further ado, Ino pulls her pj's on, grabs her phone and silently makes her way down the stairs and out of her house. By now she knows where Gaara's room is located, even though she hasn't been there herself. Ino had asked him once, because she wondered what room she could look into from her window (it wasn't his).

A ladder stands conveniently next to his window and Ino climbs it up carefully, being bare-footed. His lights are out. Her selfishness wins over her guilt and she calls him on his phone. One, two, three rings, until he picks up. Gaara _yawns_ into the phone.

She dies a little inside.

"Gaara, open your window!" He hangs up and shortly afterwards, the window gets opened. His hair is a mess and his eyes blink away the sleep.

"Hi." he mutters, and winces just right after. The first word that he has ever uttered to her. Ino doesn't really care about how the mark is tingling; she has heard this word a little too often. What she cares about, instead, is his tongue piercing.

His tongue is _pierced_.

And how his sleep-induced voice laid itself upon her like a warm blanket - soothing.

He helps her climb in through his window and closes it afterwards. Ino finds the switch of the lamp on his nightstand and flicks it on. His room is bigger than hers, but also much brighter. Almost everything is black and white. It doesn't really surprise her that she feels herself at home with him - always. She turns around to look at him. He looks different without his black eyeliner, but she likes it either way. It takes her a second to take in his whole appearance; his white shirt, his black boxers, and his completely **_tattooed_** left leg and arm.  Is he even allowed to get those?

Nevertheless, he is beautiful.

What will she see under his shirt? Heat creeps up her neck and she swallows whatever sound she wanted to make.

Ino has a mission to fulfill!

Gaara is patiently waiting  for her to say anything, so she begins, pacing his room restlessly:

"Listen. You know that whatever happened between us happened for a reason, right?" He nods.

"You also need to know that I am not the kind of girl that climbs up a ladder to some dark strangers room in the middle of the night, just to talk, okay?" He nods again.

"My parents talked to me and it's not a secret that they are very strict concerning... soulmates. Everyone knows that, after what happened with Sai." Gaara takes two steps forward but she holds up her hands and takes a step back. He stops.

"And I-" Her voice breaks pathetically. Ino really doesn't want to cry. She can see that he wants to come closer, but her hands are still up. So she continues, shakily:

"And I like you a lot. A whole lot. So much that I can't stop thinking about you, even when you're close to me and I don't understand that. Because... I have never been this way. I have never _felt_ this way before."

Gaara has a pained expression on his face and he is searching her eyes for something. He knows that there is more she wants to say.

"I don't want to lose whatever connection we might have, because it is something special and we both know that and I-" Ino takes a deep breath.

" _Please_." She whispers. "Please tell me. Do you have a soulmark?"

It seems to take him a lot of courage to speak, as if he is scared of saying anything to her.

"Yes." She closes her eyes for a moment and breathes out. Tears are running down her face now.

"Can I...?" Ino cannot say it. She just _can't._

He bites his lip. It is a very personal and selfish thing to ask, but she needs to see it. Slowly, he pulls his shirt up and throws it on his bed. The left side of his torso is completely covered in ink as well and his...his nipples are pierced.   
It takes her a moment to look on his right pec and see the mark. It is a long sentence. She narrows her eyes and comes closer to inspect it.

_What the heck i couldhavehandleditmyself._

It sounds familiar. The first thing...the first thing she has said to him. She opens her mouth, but she cannot speak.

 _Hi._ That was the first thing he had said to her. Is it a coincidence? No.

No. She believes in destiny. Always has and always will. A warm feeling blooms in her stomach, right up to her heart. She looks up.

Her heart almost shatters.

Why does he look so disappointed?

"I'm sorry. I know that it is too much of a coincidence." he mutters and looks away.

"What?" Ino is shocked to her core. What _is_ that **moron** _saying_?

"Something pulled me into that alley on that evening. And when you spoke to me... I was so sure that it was not possible. That I could never be your soulmate. Me! It must have been a mistake... I didn't want to talk to you, because I was scared of what your mark might mean! I-"

He licks his lips and looks at her then from under his lashes.

"I still had hope, you know. But," he almost laughs. "Me and you? I mean, have you seen yourself?" "Of course I have!" she retorts angrily.   
"You haven't seen yourself from my eyes, Ino." That shuts her up really quick. The way he says her name; almost like a prayer. He starts talking again, because he is a moron, but Ino doesn't listen anymore and instead begins to pull of her shirt.

 _That_ shuts him up.

Ino is wearing her purple bra, letting go of her shirt until it falls softly on Gaara's carpet. She isn't nervous and she isn't angry at all when she catches his eyes drifting to her breasts and then to the center - to her mark.

"We are..." he begins, but doesn't finish.

"Yes. We are." Ino closes the distance between them boldly, pressing her body to his und claiming his lips in a soft kiss. Her body is warm and tingly all over and she doesn't want this to ever _stop_. Gaara pulls her even closer to him and she smiles into the kiss. She has never felt so right before.

  
Everything that she has known, done and felt - it was all leading to this.   



	4. Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shenanigans and the pain that ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellow guys! I am very sorry for not having updated in two months, but life kinda got in the way...  
> Please enjoy and tell me what you think!!
> 
> Warnings will be at the end! No one likes spoilers!

Every day was a new day and if Ino had not enjoyed her life before, she now certainly loved it - with Gaara, her soulmate, by her side. She felt... completed.  
  
And so much had happened, but she had loved every moment of it.

  
+  
Waking up in his arms the next morning, she knew that everything was okay, that they were okay, that she wasn't crazy, because he was hers, and she was his.

And it made sense.

It just made sense, being with him. She is snuggled to his side, their bodies pressed together to have as much skin to skin contact as possible. His fingers are brushing her skin just beneath her pants; her hand is pressed to his chest, feeling his heartbeat. Gaara is still sleeping and she watches him; his bright red hair sticking up in every direction, his mouth being slightly open and then the way his lashes slowly flutter open. Gaara grumbles softly and turns his whole body to her. The sun is shining through the window, giving him an almost holy appearance. Ino feels as if she has seen Kami himself.

Perhaps she did.

"Good morning, _soulmate_." Her breath hitches.

"Good morning, soulmate." she says and kisses his tattooed shoulder.

Everything about this moment is peaceful - until its not. Ino startles and gets up.

"What's wrong? Ino!" The way Gaara instantly gets up right after her makes her heart flutter, but she can't get distracted.

"My parents!" And that is the only thing his needs to hear, because suddenly a look of growing terror changes his whole face.

"Oh shit." That is the first time that she hears him curse and a laugh bubbles out of her throat. Panicky, Gaara searches for Ino's shirt.

"You can't go out like this!" he mutters. Ino doesn't even try to cover her laugh this time and hugs him from behind, pressing her cheek to his shoulder blades. 

"Everything is going to work out." she says enthusiastically.

  
+

Three weeks later, Ino takes the decision to introduce Gaara to her parents. They didn't talk about Gaara the past days, which Ino was very thankful for. Her parents are cooking and standing in the kitchen when the doorbell rings and Ino hurries down the stairs. She opens the door and finds Gaara there, in his best shoes and shirt; his tattoos covered.

He is fidgeting with the chain around his wrist when he looks her straight in the eye. Ino can almost feel the nervousness radiating off of him, to which she grants him an encouraging smile.

"Hey."

"Hello, Ino."

She can feel her parents staring at the back of her head and she moves to make Gaara room to come in. After closing the door, they all look at each other without saying anything. Then her parents exchange a look and Ino speaks up:

"Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend Gaara." For a second she honestly fears that her parents might say something about their marks but to her relief they don't.

"Well, son. It's great to finally meet you. I see that you always brought our daughter home in one piece, which is saying something."

"Thank you, sir." Gaara replies and shakes hands first with her mom and then her dad.

"I am very happy that Ino introduced us and she had mentioned someone coming over for dinner, although we hadn't expected it to be a boy whom she calls _boyfriend_..." her mom laughs and shoos the teenagers into the dining room.  

Gaara gives Ino a forced smile, but his eyes are horrified. "You _hadn't told_ your parents?" he asks her in a pleasant voice.

"Hahaha..." Ino laughs nervously and rubs his back softly for a short moment as if to say: _Everything went well. The worst is over. Do not worry._

Her parents and Gaara always find something to talk about throughout dinner and Ino is relieved that no one mentioned any marks. Her parents seem to accept the fact that Ino has fallen in love with this person, soulmate or not.

One week later she drops the bomb. Her mother starts crying in joy and Ino joins her.

"Honey, I am so glad..." There is a lot of hugging and laughing and her parents call Gaara and his family over for dinner to celebrate. This time Gaara does not hide his tattoos; her parents do not judge him. Kankurou, his brother, is tattooed as well and also the one who tattooed him. Temari and their dad are not as easy to get along with as Gaara's mom and brother, but the dinner is still quite pleasant and Ino just enjoys the happy atmosphere.

When they are done eating, Gaara pulls gently Inos hand under the table and gives it a soft squeeze. She squeezes back and smiles without looking at him.

+

"Your eyes can see into my very soul.", he whispers softly. "I feel like you always know what I think. And you are still here."

She is lying on top of him, his thumbs brushing her skin just barely beneath the hem of her shirt.

"Why should I leave because of that?" she asks against his lips and enjoys the way his breath hitches when she wiggles softly.

Ino _loves_ to tease him. And she adores the reactions she gets out of him.

Gaara kisses her hard before she gets the chance and pulls her even closer to him. She moans into his mouth.

+

Today is a special day.

The weather is nice, Ino is well-rested and she feels very beautiful.

Ino and Gaara have been dating for eight months now and they decided to go to watch a movie and eat at a fancy restaurant. Since Ino had been in town to get a manicure, both decided to meet at the cinema. Wearing super tight jeans and a purple satin blouse, Ino had dared herself to wear her most expensive nude stilettos and her most beautiful underwear (just in case...). Her hair was let loose in very soft waves and her lips a sheer pink.

Even though Ino is confident, she's still very nervous.

Today is a special day.  
Today is the day Ino is going to tell Gaara that she loves him.

Is it too early, maybe? Is he feeling the same way? Ino stops her fidgeting when she sees him.

A red button-down shirt, slacks and black oxfords. His red hair stands out amongst the crowd and he is holding a big red teddy. Her heart is fluttering already and she suppresses the girlish squeal that wants to bubble out of her throat.

She watches him patiently waiting for the traffic light to turn green. There is a soft smile on his face and he hasn't seen her yet.  
_He is so beautiful._

Today is a special day! Ino is determined.

The light turns green and Gaara starts walking towards her, across the street.

A car honks and their eyes meet as the vehicle smashes right into him.

**Today is a special day.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know, I am terrible. Gaara gets hit by a car in this one. Please don't hate me. 
> 
> More to come soon! :3
> 
> Thank you very very much for reading!


	5. White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flaws make us human.

The pain crashes onto her like a tsunami and she is suffocating. What is going on? Why is it so hard to breathe? Distantly she can hear a horrible screaming and it takes a whole moment to realise that it's her.

 ** _Gaara_**.

Ino rushes to her soulmate and falls down to her knees. There is some blood on his face and his arm is in an awkward angle, but the worst part is that _he isn't opening his eyes_ and she doesn't know what to do! Desperation crawls up her spine like a vicious spider and she brushes his hair back with shaky fingers.

"Gaara..." her voice breaks and tears cloud her vision. He isn't moving. Is he even breathing? For a second she really cannot tell. _Please wake up_.

"Please... Help him!" she sobs. "Somebody _help_..."

Ino cannot bear to look away. In her line of view appear hands that seem to check Gaara's pulse.  
"He's alive." a man says and Ino notices a group of people surrounding her. She looks up to see the man who has joined her on the ground. Black hair, dark eyes, pale skin. He looks familiar to her, but Ino cannot focus enough to remember where she has seen his features before. Instead, she can hear the blaring sirens of the ambulance.

+

"Your son was very lucky."

That is the first thing the doctor says. She is sitting next to his bed, not letting go of his good hand. His right arm is broken, his right leg badly bruised and two rips are cracked, but his skull and internal organs are not injured - at least not badly. Some scratches here and there _but he is alive_. Their families don't leave his side either.

When the ambulance had arrived Ino had pulled herself together to give them all the information they needed and also contacted Temari and her mom. She was still ashamed at not being able to do anything and just being a helpless mess. What if she would have been the only one there? Not being able to do anything was a horrible feeling and Ino decided for herself, and for everyone that she held close to her heart that she would never let her fear paralyze her ever again.

Gaara's mom kisses his forehead and leaves together with her husband and Ino's parents to get something to drink and to give their kids a break to talk. Even though Temari is a little older than Ino, they get along quite well.

"You seriously scared me, Ino." Temari begins. "When you called me I thought that Gaara had died. Kami... He only needs to wake up now, right? Ino? Are you listening?"

"...Yes?" No, she isn't.

"Nevermind." is the last thing Temari says before leaving after their parents.

Kankurou watches his sister leave. After she closes the door, he speaks up:

"She has lost her soulmate, you know? Temari. Two years ago. She was very young when it happened and it has left her scarred... I actually thought that she worried more about you than about Gaara. I don't really blame her."  
He moves closer to her.

"Has Gaara told you how many broken bones he's already had? Let me assure you that this is not his first hospital visit. Gaara is tougher than he looks, really! It would take more than a car to kill him." Kankurou laughs, ruffles his brother's hair and then leaves, giving Ino a moment of peace.

No, she hadn't known. There were many things she wanted to know more about, things to try out.

Travelling, moving, studying, loving and living.

"I love you." she whispers.

It took way less courage to say those words than she had anticipated.

"Mmmh too..." His finger twitches first, then his brow. Gaara is waking up! Very slowly he opens his eyes. The light seem too harsh for his sensitive eyes.

"Mmmh..." he rasps again and Ino fetches him a glass of water, holding the cup to his chapped lips. He takes a few careful gulps before nodding. Ino puts the cup on his night stand and gives his good hand a kiss.

"Good evening, m'lady." Gaara says. His voice is still weak, but it has not lost its effect on Ino at all.

"How are you, Ino?" She doesn't suppress her smile. "You are asking me? You are the one who got almost killed."

"A car is not enough to kill me, Ino..." Gaara responds and moves his bandaged arm a little without wincing.

"I'm still tired, though. How long was I out for?"

"Almost half a day."

"Shit... I'm sorry, Ino."

"I'm just glad that you are alive." Gaara opens his eyes again and looks at her then.  
"Please tell me this isn't your blood on your blouse." Flabbergasted Ino looks down.

"It's yours, I guess..." He closes his eyes with a soft smile.  
"It's good to see you again, my soulmate."  
+

Recovery takes it's time, but after a few days Gaara is allowed to leave the hospital. He isn't allowed to do any physical activity though and can't drive his car, which is why Ino takes up on that task.

"Woman, where did you get your driver's license?"

"Hey! It's not my fault your car is as old as Orochimaru-sensei and doesn't have automatic transmission." she huffs while trying to get the car under control.

It takes a while for her to get used to it and both almost miss their first classes. They get a scolding from Asuma-sensei and some classmates laugh a little, but at least they haven't missed it completely and arrived in one piece. The class before lunch break separates them again and both decide to eat lunch with Ino's girls this day. It took some time for Gaara to warm up to them and vice versa, but Sakura, Hinata and Tenten have never had any problems with him before. When they saw how different he acted around Ino, they came to realize that there was no way he was a "bad boy" or anything like that.

"Sorry Ino, but I can't stop imagining you trying to drive his poor car." Sakura laughs and Ino joins her.

It _had_ been funny, really. Ino and Sakura stop at the table Hinata and Tenten are already sitting at and greet their friends.

"Isn't Gaara here yet?" Ino asks Hinata, who shares his literatures class.

"Uhm, Matsuri wanted to talk to him." Ino turns her head sharply to her.

"Talk about _what_? Who is _Matsuri_?"

"She's a classmate of ours. I believe that they are friends."

"Friends? I know all of his friends and Matsuri hasn't been mentioned _once."_

"Woah Ino, calm down. Are you getting jealous?" Tenten jokes but doesn't say anything further as she catches Ino's look.

" _No_!" The three girls glance at each other. If they hadn't known Ino they would have believed her reply.

"Of course not..." mutters Sakura, though she doesn't understand what there is to be jealous about. It doesn't seem like Ino at all. They silently watch Ino looking for her boyfriend, wondering what might have shaken her confidence up like that.

Ino is filing her nails when Gaara arrives. She hasn't touched her food at all and doesn't even bother to acknowledge him. From the corner of her eye she can see the way Gaara eyes her confused, yet doesn't say anything. He also doesn't ask the others what is going on, out of politeness or just because he doesn't care. Right now Ino isn't so sure. Sakura and Tenten take pity on him and start an innocent conversation about school, assignments and teachers - Ino doesn't say a word.

When it's time to leave, Ino is the first to go without a single glance.

"Ino? Ino!" She pretends not to hear his voice and goes to her class. She is angry and rightfully so she believes. In class she can feel Gaara's eyes burning holes through her head.

Afterwards, when both are seated in his car, Ino speaks to him again, but he isn't stupid enough to think that this is already over.

The next few days Ino's mood gets worse and worse and every lunch break Gaara talks to Matsuri and Ino has even seen him smile at something that she has said! Unforgivable!

"Kami, Ino! Give him a break! What's up with you?" Sakura asks rather harshly. "Why are you being like this?"

"He hasn't said it yet." Ino admits. "That he loves me. Even though I have said it a few times since he's been in the hospital."

Speaking her thoughts and worries out calms her friends somewhat, though it doesn't change the fact that Ino has made a mistake in acting the way she had. 

"Perhaps he needs more time..." Hinata says carefully and nudges Tenten.

"Perhaps he is too shy." Tenten says.

"Perhaps he is a moron!" Ino says instead and looks away.

+

She can't sleep. Horrible thoughts of Gaara leaving her jealous ass plague her mind and this stupid, green-eyed monster that she has become has been too proud to just talk about it.

"If I keep this up he is going to leave for sure..."

With a sigh Ino silently leaves her house, clad in her PJ's and bunny slippers and climbs the ladder up to his room. Thankfully he has left the window open. It's still dark though and Ino hopes that he isn't asleep since she doesn't want to wake him (having had insomnia for too many years...). She walks over to his bed and sees that he is listening to some music and still very much awake.

Gaara is watching her.

"Hey."  
"...Hi, Ino." She flinches. He is using the _Cold Voice_ and that is usually a bad sign.

"I guess you want to tell me what you've been up to lately? 'Cause I seriously have no idea." Gaara tells her and she feels even worse than before. Yes, when she wasn't ignoring him, she was bitchy. There was no in-between.

He sits up and removes the earphones. He isn't wearing a shirt and that is a very dirty and mean distraction because, _surely,_ he must know what it does to her. He _must_ know.

"What's the deal with Matsuri?" Straight to the point! How could she be any more obvious? She hits herself internally.

Gaara blinks in confusion and cradles his still bandaged arm.  
"What?"

"You heard me." she retorts hotly.

"Ino, we're classmates. You _hear_ me? _Classmates_." Gaara seems to see something in her eyes or on her face then, because his eyes widen suddenly and he shakes his head slowly.

"Ino, don't tell me..." He swallows the rest of the words and starts again:

"Ino, where does that irrational jealousy come from?" That strikes a chord, because he can see the way she blushes.

"Why should I be jealous of her? I'm beautiful and funny and smart and you love me!" she huffs and turns away, flipping her hair. The second that Gaara takes to respond startles her. "Don't you?" she adds in a small voice.

"I..." He sighs and Ino lets her shoulders fall.  
"I thought that it was obvious. Guess I was wrong..."

"What do you mean?" she asks, although her feeling isn't that bad anymore.

"I am yours, Ino! And you are mine! I don't need or want _anyone_ else."

She crawls under his covers and hugs him. Half-naked Gaara is always a good Gaara, angry or not.  
"I'm sorry for having been so annoying..." she mumbles into his neck.  
"Next time, if there is anything that makes you angry or sad or happy or anything else, please just talk to me. You are special to me. You mean _the world_ to me, Ino. You are different from anybody else, because you are a part of my soul, and I am part of yours." Gaara says, turns his head and kisses her forehead. Ino's heart is fluttering inside her ribcage like a bird.

"So... I'm privileged?"

Gaara merely grunts in response. Of course she knows that she is. The way he talks to her, the way he touches her... Gaara isn't like that to anyone else, not even his own family. Because of her he always worked on his social skills, or at least with her friends and family.

"You're so weird, Ino Yamanaka."

"That's why we get along so well." she laughs softly and snuggles herself a little bit closer to his warmth. Some time passes and Ino almost falls asleep, until she can hear his whispering.  
"Ino?" She pretends to be asleep, just this once.

" _I love you_."

She can't help the way her heart-rate quickens, but she gives him the satisfaction of her not having heard it.

+ 

The next day Ino feels energised like never before! Gaara is a little grumpy and quite tired, but they manage to sneak Ino back into her room without anyone noticing. It's Friday and the girls are having a sleepover at Sakura's today, just like every month.  
Ino hurries down the stairs when Gaara rings the doorbell, dangling his car-keys in front of her face. He is smiling when she grabs them and walks towards the car.  
After a few days of driving, Ino finally figured out how to get the vehicle working, which is why they haven't been late anymore.

When Ino starts the engine the radio starts to play a rather heavy rock song, which (unsurprisingly) Gaara knows. His taste in music suited him of course, but Ino had taken some time to get used to it.

While driving he sometimes sings along.

Suddenly he laughs: "I'm not a good singer, by all means. But I still enjoy doing it from time to time."

He is right, of course. Gaara has a horrible singing voice.

Ino loves it, either way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! It's been a few months since I started writing this little FF, but I never expected it have so many readers!
> 
> I want to thank each and every one of you who left kudos, comments or who read a chapter or two or maybe the whole thing. 
> 
> Let me assure you that this is not over yet and I plan to write more stuff about GaaIno, maybe even in this AU.  
> Also, I've been thinking about getting Hinata, Sakura and Tenten unusual soulmates as well so this could become something like a series. Perhaps some of you would be interested in that as well? 
> 
> Again, thank you so much for everything! Let's get this small fandom growing! <3


End file.
